Imagine and Fairview Cemetery Offer Butterfly Release for Families who are Grieving

For the past few years, Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss has been proud to partner with Fairview Cemetery to offer a butterfly release ceremony to Imagine participants and others connected to Fairview Cemetery who have experienced the loss of someone close to them.

At the recent Butterfly Release in August, over 80 children, teens and adults gathered in the Memorial Garden at Fairview Cemetery on a sunny evening to remember those who have died in their lives, some buried in Fairview and many elsewhere. Those attending joined in a time of remembrance that included shared poetry, music and an opportunity to publicly retell stories of their person who died. Then, each person in attendance received a butterfly wrapped in a bit of paper and released it into the air. Fairview Cemetery’s Memorial Garden includes many beautiful flowers and butterfly bushes beside a gorgeous lake, so many of the butterflies lingered in the area with the families who attended.

Imagine’s Mountainside Program and Partnership Manager, Kristin Imbimbo, CCLS, shared this about the Butterfly Release: “It was such a wonderful day to gather with so many families at different points in their grief journeys. Imagine staff felt honored to be present as everyone collectively mourned their losses.”

Imagine is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Fairview Cemetery to offer this time of remembrance and release for those who are grieving. We recognize the importance of creating opportunities where children and families can be in community in a memorial space like a cemetery and remember those who have died with others who are grieving a loss too.

At Imagine, we offer support for parents seeking to open doors for conversation with their kids about loss and grief. We recognize how hard that can be for adults. It is common to shy away from talking about something that could make children feel sad. Imagine staff believe that there are ways to have sensitive conversations that ensure children feel felt and that their feelings are acknowledged and seen. Imagine staff will be offering two webinars that are open to all community members on November 13th which is Children’s Grief Awareness Day on Talking to Kids about Death and Dying. Please visit Imagine’s website at www.imaginenj.org to learn more.

Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss is a 501c3 that offers grief and loss education and training to the community and free year-round grief support groups for children ages 3-18 and young adults 19-30 who are coping with a loss due to death. Concurrently, support groups are available for the parents and caregivers of the children in the groups and offered in English and Spanish. For more information, please contact Imagine at 908-264-3100 or info@imaginenj.org or visit our website at www.imaginenj.org.